Wrapping machine

ABSTRACT

A machine for wrapping or packaging goods in shrinkable foil, wherein a plurality of operating stations are arranged along a substantially circular path and a plurality of carriers for the goods are rotatable along this substantially circular path to advance the goods through the operating stations. The carriers may be mounted on arms rotatable about a central axis.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Helmut Graf Lambsdorff [50] Field of Search 53/30, 33, Monchengladbach; 124 (A), 184, 182, 198. 229, 234 Karl Birkendahl, Solingen, Germany [21 1 Appl. No. 791,809 [56] References Cited Filed J m 16, 1969 UNITED STATES PATENTS [45] Patented June 1,1971 504 476 4 197 d pl 731 Assignee VERTEC Gesellschaft Fur 3 5 1 3 Efi e 24 Verpackungstechnik mbH & Co Monchengladback Germany 3,282,760 1 1/1966 Gutierrez r 53/33X 3,340,882 9/1967 Holmes etal.. 133/1 {32] Pmmy 181 1968 May 30,1963 3,396,506 8/1968 Geyer et al. 53/2911 [33] Germany 31 P 16 11 901.031.111 17 61 523.5 Primww EmmirIerThemn E-Condon Assistant Examiner-Neil Abrams Attorney-Dezsoe Steinherz ABSTRACT: A machine for wrapping or packaging goods in [54] WRAPPING Q F shrinkable foil, wherein a plurality of operating stations are ar- Mclalms 7 Drawmg Figs ranged along a substantially circular path and a plurality of [52] US. Cl 53/ 124, carriers for the goods are rotatable along this substantially cir- 53/ 184, 53/229 cular path to advance the goods through the operating sta [51] Int. Cl B65b 53/02, tions. The carriers may be mounted on arms rotatable about a central axis.

PATENTED Jun 1 m1 SHEET 1 0F 3 PATENTED JUH 1 1m SHEET 2 BF 3 PATENTEU JUN 1 12?:

SHEET 3 [IF 3 WRAPPING MACK-ENE This invention relates to a wrapping machine or packaging apparatus for wrapping goods or articles in shrinkable foil. A machine of this type is normally provided with a loading zone for introducing the goods, a wrapping station for enveloping the goods with foil which is unwound from two coils at opposite sides of the goods and welded when applied to the goods, a heating station, a cooling station if desired, and a discharge station.

Prior apparatus of this type having means for shrinkage of wrapping material require a relatively large floor space. The welding means and a succeeding heating or shrinking tunnel which are parts of the apparatus, are either arranged one behind the other in the form ofa long line or are disposed at right angles to each other. The loading zone for introducing goods and the discharge station should be controlled by a single operator, which is rendered difficult in the prior arrangement. Besides, the loading zone and the discharge station of previous machines cannot readily be observed simultaneously by a single operator. These prior arrangements are further disadvantageous in that during transfer from the welding means to the heating or shrinking tunnel on conveyor means such as a conveyor belt supported by rollers, the goods are subject to vibration which may cause shifting of individual portions of the goods relative to each other, especially in the case of newspaper stacks or packages containing several articles (for example, a group of three round cans, or a package comprising a collection of boxes).

lt is an object of the presentinvention to provide a wrapping or packaging machine of the aforesaid type, which requires a limited floor space and/or may be operated and effectively observed by a single person and/or ensures steady, shockless ad vance of the goods through the machine.

According to the present invention, individual operating stations are arranged in stationary positions along a substan tially circular or annular path and one or more carriers for the goods to be wrapped are rotatable along this circular path for advancing the goods through the operating stations.

The carriers of the machine move without vibration since they merely rotate about a central axis and are mounted for such rotation by means of arms. Further, the loading zone and the discharge'station are located close to each other in this machine so that they can readily be controlled by a single operator. Finally, the machine requires a limited floor space since the speeds of travel of the carriers are independent of the distances to be travelled due to the provision of separate conveying means for individual stacks or other goods, and since the circular arrangement results in a saving of space.

The wrapping station is advantageously arranged so that the goods to be handled are moved from above onto a sheet of foil extending between coils, and welding members are movable towards each other above the goods. However, in accordance with the invention it is also possible to introduce the goods laterally into a carrier located at the loading zone and to arrange coils of foil and welding means at both sides of and in front of the carrier as seen in the loading direction. Finally, according to the invention it is possible to provide for adjustment of the locations of the coils of foil, of the welding means, and of the loading zone.

Each of the carriers for the goods to be wrapped may be mounted on the end of an arm which is rotatable about the central axis of the machine. Though the individual arms may be rigidly connected to each other so that they will always travel at the same speed and stop during the same intervals, it is preferable to actuate the carriers independently of each other at different speeds and if desired, to stop the carriers independently of each other. Thereby, it is possible to change the dwelling times at individual stations in any desired manner as required for different goods. The carriers may be interchangeable to adapt the machine for the handling of various types of articles. llt is not necessary to provide carriers on all the arms continuously. For example, if very broad carriers are required in special cases, it is possible to mount carriers only on every second arm or on two-thirds of the arms.

In accordance with a particular feature of the invention, means may be provided for automatically removing packed goods from the carriers at the discharge station. For example, the carriers or the carrier arms may be tiltable according to the invention, and the discharge station may include control means for tilting the carriers or their arms and devices for receiving packed goods sliding off the carriers; such devices may at the same time serve as conveyor means for removing the packed goods.

If stacks of newspapers are to be wrapped or packed, it is of advantage to provide holddown devices movable in synchronism with the carriers and acting upon stacks disposed on the carriers.

Holddown devices for compressing elastic stacks during packing and shrinking have been used heretofore. These devices serve to compress a stack of newspaper or the like, preferably without excluding surface portions of foil at the top of the stack underneath the holddown devices from the shrinking operation, the foil enclosing the stack in the form of a band. Thus, it is possible to wrap stacks of newspapers and shrink the wrapping material thereon in a very satisfactory manner while avoiding any shifting of sheets within the stacks and any creasing of the top sheets of the stack.

Preferably, the holddown devices are in the form of plates or grates and their size corresponds to that of the surface of the stack so that foil covering the top of the stack may partake in the shrinkage operation due to the effect of grate openings.

The holddown devices may comprise weights in the form of plates which are placed on the stacks in the loading zone, pass through the machine on top of the stacks, are removed from the stacks at the discharge station, then returned to the loading zone and there again placed on new stacks.

However, it is of still greater advantage to mount holddown devices individually on rotatable arms. In particular, such' devices may be mounted on the carrier arms together with the carriers. It is immaterial in principle whether the devices are effective on account of their weight, or whether they are pressed upon the stacks byhydraulic or pneumatic means.

Both of the last-mentioned arrangements have an advantage in that they are largely independent of the height of the individual stacks of newspapers. If the holddown devices are lowered pneumatically or hydraulically, they are suitably braked before or at the time of contact with the stack surface in a manner such that any undesirable rebound of holddown devices from the stacks will be avoided.

Separate lifting and lowering means are preferably provided for each of the holddown devices. However, it is not impossible to employ common lifting and lowering means which are then required only at the discharge station and loading zone, respectively, and such arrangement may be used even if the holddown devices are mounted on rotating arms. This is true in particular if the holddown force is derived from the weight ofthe acting parts or is produced by a spring.

According to the invention, the loading zone may be provided with aligning devices for straightening the sides of the stacks. Such devices may comprise abutment plates, for example, that is, vertical walls arranged transversely of the loading direction so that the stacks will move against and contact the walls. If, for example, the stacks are introduced in the machine on a conveyor belt disposed in the loading zone tangentially to the circular path of travel of the machine, the abutment plate may be located in the discharge region of the conveyor belt. Such abutment plate may be connected to a limit switch which will cause the conveyor belt to stop as soon as a stack of newspapers or the like reaches its final position on the loading conveyor in contact with the abutment plate and thus is at the location from which the stack may be shifted to the wrapping station of the machine. This shifting may be carried out, e.g., in a radial direction, that is, transversely to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt, and may be accomplished with the aid of a pusher adapted to move the stack against a second vertical abutment plate which is positioned inside the machine, i.e., behind the loading zone in the loading direction,

the second abutment plate being disposed transversely of the first-mentioned abutment plate. If desired, however, certain lateral aligning devices may be used in the form of movable aligning members such as plates, rakes or fingers, which are located on opposite sides of a carrier when the latter is at the loading zone, and which are adapted to be lifted and lowered and in the lifted position are movable towards and away from each other. If an abutment plate is provided in the loading zone, the movable aligning members act in a direction perpendicular to the effective direction of the abutment plate.

The direction in which the stacks are pushed into the wrapping station is normally radial to the circular path of travel of the machine or includes at least a radial component. A band is usually formed around the stack in a manner such that the stack being pushed into the wrapping station is moved to a sheet of foil which is closed behind the stack by welding; therefore, the band has a very definite orientation relative to the direction of travel of the goods to be wrapped in the machine. In some cases, this orientation is not suitable for passage through the heating station. According to the invention, the stacks may be turned in such cases about a vertical axis through a suitable angle during their travel from the loading zone to the heating station. To obtain this turning movement, the carriers may be mounted on their respective arms for rotation about vertical axes. In this case, the holddown devices will be rotatable about corresponding, aligned axes.

Although stacks of newspapers have been mentioned, it will be clear that the invention may also be applied to stacklike goods of different type, but of generally similar properties, for example, stacks, bundles, bales, or packages of textile material as well as all other relatively soft articles which after shrinkage should have a certain shape as obtainable by means of a holddown device if required.

Details of the invention will now be described with reference to the diagrammatic drawings which illustrate advantageous embodiments of the invention by way of example as follows:

FIG. I is a plan view of a machine according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are elevational views of a wrapping station including welding means, in two different operating positions;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a modified wrapping station showing a different arrangement of coils of foil;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged elevational view of another modified wrapping station wherein the coils of foil have two alternative positions;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a machine adapted in particular for the wrapping of stacks of newspapers; and

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross section through the loading zone and wrapping station of the machine shown in FIG. 6.

Referring to the embodiment shown in FIGS. I to 3, the partly revolving machine illustrated therein is mounted on a suitable frame or base and has a central post or axis 1 about which arms 2 are rotatable in the direction indicated by an arrow, the ends of the arms 2 supporting carriers 3 for articles or goods to be wrapped or packaged. In this embodiment, a wrapping station 4 serves at the same time as a loading zone for introducing the goods; the latter are wrapped in shrinkable foil such as plastic foil which is then welded to form a band enveloping the goods, as will be explained in greater detail when describing the operation of the machine. The foil will be caused to shrink due to the application of heat in a heating or shrinkage tunnel 5. A cooling station comprising a fan is indicated at 6 and a discharge station is shown at 7.

The carriers 3 are interchangeably mounted on the arms 2. In the embodiment shown, the carriers comprise outwardly open baskets.

Coils 8 and 9 of foil are provided at the wrapping station 4 and in the embodiment of FIGS; 1 to 3 are positioned above the path of travel of the carriers 3 as will be apparent particularly from FIGS. 2 and 3. Arranged below the coils of foil are movable welding members or bars 10, 11 which are shown remote from each other in FIG. 2 and close to each other in FIG. 3. In this arrangement of the coils of foil and the welding members, the goods are introduced from above in the direction of the arrow 12 (FIG. 2) as will be explained in greater detail later.

FIG. 4 illustrates a modified arrangement in which the axes of the coils of foil 8', 9 are positioned in a vertical plane outside the wrapping station as seen in the radial direction. The loading direction in which the goods are introduced is in this case perpendicular to the plane of the drawing and coincides with the direction indicated in FIG. l by an arrow at 4. It will be clear that this direction is radial.

As indicated in FIG. 5, it is possible to mount the coils of foil and the welding members so that they have two adjustable, alternative positions. The coils of foil in the positions 8a, 9a, as well as the welding members in the positions 10a, 11a, are disposed along horizontal planes above the carriers 3 and above the goods 13, but upon adjustment the coils and the welding members may be located in their alternative positions along vertical planes as shown in broken lines at 8b, 912, Mb, llb.

If suitable, the carriers 3 may be pivotally mounted on their respective arms so that they may be tilted at the discharge station 7 to cause wrapped goods to slide off onto a receiving tray 14 or a conveyor belt or the like.

Preferably, the central post 1 is hollow so that required electrical wiring may be accommodated therein. Further, the welding members and holding elements for the coils of foil may be supported from the central post.

The shape of the heating tunnel 5 conforms to the circular path of travel of the carriers 3.

Operation of the machine according to FIGS. I to 3 is as follows:

A pair of foil bands drawn from the two coils are initially united by a preparatory welding operation. If the coils 8, 9 are arranged as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the welded sheet of foil will be disposed above the wrapping station. Goods 13 to be wrapped are then introduced from a zone above the foil and placed on the foil and then with the foil on a carrier 3 present at station 4; thereby, the goods will draw the required length of foil 15 (FIG. 2) automatically from the pair of coils. Thereafter, the welding bars or members l0, 11 are moved towards each other and automatically draw required further foil from the pair of coils. As known in the art, the welding members are of a type such that upon closing they will produce an impulse which will weld the foil and simultaneously cut it in the required manner.

After closing of the welding members, impulse welding, and withdrawal of the members, the carrier arm 2 will automatically start to move and pass through the shrinkage tunnel and the cooling station and will then automatically stop at the discharge station, that is, before the wrapping and welding station 4 is reached again. The arm 2 will automatically move to the wrapping station when the latter is free.

Referring to the modification shown in FIG. 4 as well as to the modified arrangement indicated in broken lines in FIG. 5, the manner of operation is in principle the same as described hereinbefore. A difference resides merely in the fact that in these modified arrangements the goods to be wrapped are not placed against the foil from above but from that side at which the coils of foil 8', 9', 8b, 9b are located; thereafter, the goods are horizontally pushed into the machine, whereby the necessary length of foil will be automatically drawn from the coils. The welding step is then carried out in a vertical plane as distinct from a horizontal plane, but as mentioned, the operation is in principle the same as set forth hereinbefore. As will be clear, it is not absolutely necessary to carry out the lateral introduction in a radial direction. If desirable for any reason, the introduction may take place in the circumferential direction or at any selected angle to the radius; however, the plane containing the axes of the coils of foil 8, 9', 8b, 9b should always be disposed transversely to the direction in which the goods are introduced.

It will be apparent that corresponding to the arrangement of the welding members the welding seam is disposed in a horizontal or a vertical plane at different locations relative to the article to be wrapped, that is, above or underneath the article if the welding members are arranged along a horizontal plane, whereas the welding seam is disposed laterally of the ar' ticle if the welding members are arranged along a vertical plane.

Referring to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, which in certain respects is similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3, numeral 10 designates a post or central axis of the partly revolving machine, arms rotatable about the axis 1c in the direction of the arrow, 30 carriers mounted on the arms 20 to support the goods to be wrapped, 4c a wrapping station, 50 a heating station (shrinkage tunnel), 60 a cooling station, and 70 a discharge station. The carriers 3c follow a circular path of travel indicated at 16, in the course of which they stop at the stations dc and 7c, whereas they may move continuously along other portions of the path at a uniform or a variable speed. However, a compensatory station may be provided ahead of the discharge station 7c so that the carriers may be accumulated there in case the operation is disrupted at the wrapping or the dischargev station. It is also possible to remove the wrapped goods at station 7c without stoppage of the carriers if preferred.

The heating station is in the form of a tunnel, the height or level of which is preferably adjustable for adaptation to newspaper stacks or the like of varying size. Heating elements are indicated at 117. A cooling device or channel comprises a pair of fans 18, air-guiding ducts 19 connected thereto, and air deflectors 20 of sheet metal.

A conveyor 21 of the belt type is disposed tangentially to the circular path of travel 16 and terminates at a loading zone in front of the wrapping station 40; an abutment plate 22 is diagrammatically indicated at the end of the conveyor and serves to straighten stacks sidewise in one direction upon contact therewith. A limit switch for controlling the conveyor drive may be connected to the abutment plate 22 or may be arranged separately. The final position of the stack on the conveyor, which is determined by the abutment plate or the limit switch referred to, will be in front of the wrapping station; a pusher 23 which is preferably automatically controlled is arranged at the outer side of the conveyor.

Coils of foil and welding members 33 (FIG. 7) are located adjacent the inner side of the conveyor. The coils serve to form a sheet offoil 25 (FIG. 6).

A standard conveyor 27 is provided at the discharge station 70.

The structure of the carriers 3c will be apparent from FIG. 7 showing a vertical cross section through the wrapping station as well as the loading zone. Each arm 20 is rotatable about the axis 1c and its outer, free end supports the respective carrier 3c which has a rear wall 24 and is rigid in itself, but turnable in a bearing 28 (FIG. 7) about a pivot axis 26 (FIG. 6) as indicated at 35 (FIG. 7); further, the arm 2c supports a vertically movable holddown plate 29 which may be lifted and lowered by means of a double-acting pneumatic cylinder 30, the directions of movement being indicated by an arrow 31. To obtain the aforementioned braking at the time the holddown plate contacts a stack, the lower cylinder chamber which cooperates with the bottom surface of the piston may at the proper instant be subjected to pressure working against the pressure present in the upper cylinder chamber which latter tends to cause downward movement, the counterpressure in the lower chamber producing a force somewhat smaller than that produced in the upper chamber.

An additional, diagrammatically indicated pneumatic cylinder and piston assembly 32 is connected to the turnable portion of each carrier in a manner such that if desired, a working stroke of this assembly will result in a turn of the carrier through a selected angle before entry into the shrinkage tunnel. Before arrival at the discharge station the carrier may be turned back to its previous position.

Arranged at the wrapping station 40 are lateral alignment fingers 34 (FIG. 6) which are normally disposed below the path of travel of the carriers 3c, but may be lifted at both sides ofa carrier present at the wrapping station and may be moved towards each other to straighten and align a stack on the carrier.

The machine according to FIGS. 6 and 7 operates in the following manner:

A stack of newspapers or the like positioned on the conveyor belt 21 and travelling together therewith will be stopped in front of the center of the wrapping station upon actuation of the limit switch controlling the conveyor drive and, in case an abutment plate is provided, after lateral straightening due to impact on such plate. If an empty carrier is present at the wrapping station as in fully automatic: machines can be ascertained easily by suitable controls, the stack to be wrapped is shifted by the pusher 23 onto the carrier present in the wrapping station until the stack moves against the carrier rear wall 24 which like the plate 22 serves .as an abutment plate for lateral straightening of the stack. When shifted by the pusher 23, the stack takes foil from sheet 25 along and the foil material will then be closed behind the stack by welding, whereby a band enclosing the stack will be produced.

The lateral aligning fingers 34 will complete the straightening of the stack. When the carrier of the stack starts to travel in the direction of the arrow shown in the upper part of FIG. 6, the carrier will be turned through an angle of about the pivot 26 by means of cylinder 32, will then pass through the shrinkage tunnel and the cooling tunnel, will be turned back through an angle of 90, may be stopped at a compensatory station until the discharge station is free, and will finally deliver the stack to the conveyor 27 at the discharge station.

As indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the coils of foil 8, 9 may be movable together with the welding members l0, 11. The latter are heated by means well known in the art.

We claim:

I. In a machine for wrapping goods in shrinkable foil, a loading zone for introducing said goods;-a wrapping station; a cooperating pair of foil-supply means arranged at said wrapping station and adapted to support foil extending therebetween for wrapping around said goods; welding means at said wrapping station for welding said foil when wrapped around said goods; a heating station; a discharge station; said stations being arranged in stationary positions along a substantially circular path; a plurality of carriers for said goods; and rotatable means supporting each of said carriers for independent rotation along said substantially circular path to move said goods from said wrapping station to said heating and discharge stations so that said carriers may be rotated at different speeds and may be stopped individually.

2. A machine is defined in claim 1, including a cooling station between said heating and discharge stations, said cooling station being positioned along said circular path.

3. A machine as defined in claim ll, wherein said pair of foil supply means is arranged to receive said goods therebetween from above, and said welding means comprise a pair of welding members movable towards and away from each other above said goods when the latter are at said wrapping station.

4. A machine as defined in claim 1, including means at said loading zone for moving said goods laterally onto one of said carriers in a predetermined loading direction when said one carrier is positioned at said wrapping station, said pair of foilsupply means and said welding means being arranged in spaced relationship to said one carrier at said wrapping station in a manner such that said goods will pass said pair of foilsupply means and said welding means during loading in said predetermined direction.

5. A machine as defined in claim 1., wherein said rotatable means includes a plurality of arms rotatable about a central axis, each of said carriers being mounted on one of said arms.

6. A machine as defined in claim ll, wherein said carriers are interchangeable.

7. A machine as defined in claim 1 and adapted for the handling of stacks of goods, including aligning means for laterally straightening said stacks.

8. A machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said aligning means comprise at least one abutment plate.

9. A machine as defined in claim 1, including means for introducing said goods into said wrapping station in a direction substantially radial to said circular path, and means for turning said goods between said wrapping and heating stations about a generally vertical axis and through an angle of substantially 90.

10. A machine as defined in claim 9, wherein said rotatable means supporting said carriers includes a plurality of rotatable arms, each of said carriers being turnable on one of said arms through said angle of substantially 90.

11. In a machine for wrapping stacks of goods such as newspapers in shrinkable foil, a loading zone for introducing said goods; a wrapping station; a cooperating pair of foilsupply means arranged at said wrapping station and adapted to support foil extending therebetween for wrapping around said goods; welding means at said wrapping station for welding said foil when wrapped around said goods; a heating station; a discharge station; said stations being arranged in stationary positions along a substantially circular path; a plurality of carriers for said goods; rotatable means supporting each of said carriers for rotation along said substantially circular path to move said goods from said wrapping station to said heating and discharge stations; holddown means mounted for synchronous rotation with said carriers and arranged to act upon the top surfaces of said stacks of goods; and actuating means for applying said holddown means to said stacks of goods and for withdrawing said holddown means therefrom.

12. A machine as defined in claim 11, wherein said holddown means comprises at least one plate.

13. A machine as defined in claim 11, wherein said rotatable means comprises a plurality of rotatable arms, and said holddown means comprises a plurality ofindividual holddown devices, each of said rotatable arms being arranged to support one of said carriers and one of said holddown devices.

14. A machine as defined in claim 13, wherein said actuating means comprises a plurality of individual actuators, each of said actuators being arranged one one of said rotatable arms and connected to operate the holddown device supported by the respective arm. 

1. In a machine for wrapping goods in shrinkable foil, a loading zone for introducing said goods; a wrapping station; a cooperating pair of foil-supply means arranged at said wrapping station and adapted to support foil extending therebetween for wrapping around said goods; welding means at said wrapping station for welding said foil when wrapped around said goods; a heating station; a discharge station; said stations being arranged in stationary positions along a substantially circular path; a plurality of carriers for said goods; and rotatable means supporting each of said carriers for independent rotation along said substantially circular path to move said goods from said wrapping station to said heating and discharge stations so that said carriers may be rotated at different speeds and may be stopped individually.
 2. A machine is defined in claim 1, including a cooling station between said heating and discharge stations, said cooling station being positioned along said circular path.
 3. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said pair of foil supply means is arranged to receive said goods therebetween from above, and said welding means comprise a pair of welding members movable towards and away from each other above said goods when the latter are at said wrapping station.
 4. A machine as defined in claim 1, including means at said loading zone for moving said goods laterally onto one of said carriers in a predetermined loading direction when said one carrier is positioned at said wrapping station, said pair of foil-supply means and said welding means being arranged in spaced relationship to said one carrier at said wrapping station in a manner such that said goods will pass said pair of foil-supply means and said welding means during loading in said predetermined direction.
 5. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said rotatable means includes a plurality of arms rotatable about a central axis, each of said carriers being mounted on one of said arms.
 6. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said carriers are interchangeable.
 7. A machine as defined in claim 1 and adapted for the handling of stacks of goods, including aligning means for laterally straightening said stacks.
 8. A machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said aligning means comprise at least one abutment plate.
 9. A machine as defined in claim 1, including means for introducing said goods into said wrapping station in a direction substantially radial to said circular path, and means for turning said goods between said wrapping and heating stations about a generally vertical axis and through an angle of substantially 90* .
 10. A machine as defined in claim 9, wherein said rotatable means supporting said carriers includes a plurality of rotatable arms, each of said carriers being turnable on one of said arms through said angle of substantially 90* .
 11. In a machine for wrapping stacks of goods such as newspapers in shrinkable foil, a loading zone for introducing said goods; a wrapping station; a cooperating pair of foil-supply means arranged at said wrapping station and adapted to support foil extending therebetween for wrapping around said goods; welding means at said wrapping station for welding said foil when wrapped around said goods; a heating station; a discharge station; said stations being arranged in stationary positions along a substantiaLly circular path; a plurality of carriers for said goods; rotatable means supporting each of said carriers for rotation along said substantially circular path to move said goods from said wrapping station to said heating and discharge stations; holddown means mounted for synchronous rotation with said carriers and arranged to act upon the top surfaces of said stacks of goods; and actuating means for applying said holddown means to said stacks of goods and for withdrawing said holddown means therefrom.
 12. A machine as defined in claim 11, wherein said holddown means comprises at least one plate.
 13. A machine as defined in claim 11, wherein said rotatable means comprises a plurality of rotatable arms, and said holddown means comprises a plurality of individual holddown devices, each of said rotatable arms being arranged to support one of said carriers and one of said holddown devices.
 14. A machine as defined in claim 13, wherein said actuating means comprises a plurality of individual actuators, each of said actuators being arranged one one of said rotatable arms and connected to operate the holddown device supported by the respective arm. 